Something Swallowed the Sun

I wanted so badly to see the eclipse, but to do so I should have reserved a room more than a year ago. I checked out the hotels in all the towns - large & small - in the path of the Total Eclipse (TE). I was horrified to discover that in ensy town after ensy town, ALL the rooms were booked. Rats. I did get an astoundingly generous invitation from my new Denver cousin David. They were to view the eclipse at their country house and had a small group gathered there for the event. That was uber kind for him to invite me, but I couldn't work up much enthusiasm for either driving that far or for flying there. If that's not total proof I'm aging, I truly don't know what is.

That brings me to today. I pondered where I might view a partial bit of the TE and decided to visit Michigan Bar Road. MB Road is fairly empty most of the time and today as no exception. I got out there. Parked. Waited.

This time of year, particularly during the ongoing drought, you'd be hard pressed to find any greenery without irrigation. 

The car radio was tuned to Capital Radio/NPR. They reported on the path of the TE as it progressed eastward. Then a little after 10:10AM or so, the miracle began... only I couldn't really see it. Yes, the entirety of the sky looked queer, feeling almost as if I were wearing ill fitting glasses - but the sun never disappeared. HOWEVER! I did take photos and although the sun seems untouched, there was a bizarre reflecting of the true shape of the sun that took place in my iPhone. It created a tiny crescent (the true outline of the sun) revealing there really was a TE underway!

Although the sun looks as round as ever it is an illusion. The ensy blue crescent above, reflecting in my iPhone, shows what the full eclipse at my location. Just a tiny bit left that is not blocked at my location.

I was elated to see the little tell-tale crescent and posted about it immediately on FaceBook. One of my FB friends commented that I'd likely fried my iPhone's inner sensors. Thank heavens, for whatever reason, that did not happen!

One of the things I looked for during the eclipse was something I remembered the last time I experienced a partial eclipse. I remember the shadows beneath the trees were shaped like tiny crescents. I still do not understand how that could be, but it was fascinating.. I could sort of see such crescents under the oak during the eclipse but not any where as clear.

I nicked this photo of crescent shadows under a tree during today's eclipse. Interesting.

The next total eclipse of the sun will be on April 8th 2024. I need to get cracking on finding a hotel room for that date.

Baltimore to Balti-less

clockwise L to R: James-Allen, Gloria, Juan, William, Dolores, Diane, Kirk

It's been a great week, a short one but I'll be back. No visit to Baltimore is complete without visiting my brother Juan. Kirk drove Dolores, James-Allen and I to where Juan lives, just north of the Virginia border. His wife Gloria and her sister Diane met up with us there.

Juan out soaking up soaking up some sun

Juan and Dolores, my bro & sis

Snackin' and Yakkin'

 We decided to take Juan out for lunch, so we headed off to a nearby Mexican Restaurant.

Drinks all around, feeling our oats. The
photographer, in the black shirt, is my nephew William)

 It was a fun week, and I'm happy I decided to take up on my niece Ain's birthday party invitation. I always enjoy visiting Baltimore, but I fly out tomorrow so I'm in for Balti-less (get it? Uh... never mind!).

Baltimore by the Sea

The historic El Galeón

Today Kirk drove Dolores Bea and me to a suburban light rail station. We took the light rail to a stop, not to far from the Baltimore Harbor.

Dolores, Bea & Kirk as we hoof it to the harbor

Lunch was first on our afternoon agenda.  We had wonderful seafood for our lunches as well as a great view of the harbor & even the water taxi.

The replica ship, El Galeón was in harbor & open for touring. Bea and I decided to risk being shanghaied, and went aboard for look-see.

Bea bravely waves bye-bye

My new paper tattoo

Landbubbers Kirk & Dolores stayed on dry ground

There were some schinanagins when Bea and I had to leave the ship for a sec,  to get stickers that allowed us to board the ship.On board we discovered the historic El Galeón is a replica of the 16th - 17th century galleon that sailed out of Spain. The ship has sailed around the world and if you're adventurous enough, you can even apply to earn your sea legs on board as the ship continues to navigate the globe.

Aboard the main deck

Captain's Quarters

The red Round Building 

 Dolores and Bea had an interest in seeing the recently opened Sagamore Pendry Hotel, which I think the current 'spot to be seen' so to speak. So we decided to risk a high seas adventure and we boarded a water taxi on the Yellow Route,

A Yellow Route Water Taxi

Ready to go on the Aquatic Boat Share

Shoreside attraction

The famous National Aquarium 

Lovely Flags of Baltimore

Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park

 The trip over to the Fell's Point dock was refreshing, and we were soon scrambling ashore.

Approaching Fell's Point

The Brick facade of the Sagamore Pendry

Looking up at the Sagamore

 The Sagamore has an amazing interior with facinating artwork.

The scary Halloween-ish entrywalkway

 The long hall had interesting artwork lining it, that ran the gamut from

...having barfed up Oxford's dictionary, to...

Op-art that moved & put you spot onto the Twilight Zone. 

Ought to have video taped that last one - so cool.

Stroll through the atrium

The unnamed Sagamore Horsie statue

At the end of this inner garden is a tiny hall with another wonderful bit of op-art, and this time I filmed it. This is NOT me hoovering over a swimmer, this is on a wall as I face it.

Pendry's Pool, for guests of course, is probably the 9th wonder of the world. Myself, I'd only only have the nerve to swim in it under cover of darkness.

NOT my photo... forgive me Internet guardians

Enjoyed our tour of the Pendry Sagamore.

Some of us had a little sit down after our hotel walking 

We headed back to Fell's Landing but before boarding the Water Taxi, and a walk back to the Light Rail station. The Fell's Point Creamery is there, and solely in an effort to support local business we had ice cream. Not that our day could have been any sweeter.

Dolores handles the toughest question
 of our day - vanilla or butter pecan?